Two drones were reported over a military base in western Germany, days after an explosive-laden device was discovered at Leipzig airport, German officials said. The Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, confirmed that two unmanned aircraft were seen on Thursday evening at a site in Mechernich, near Bonn. The base is thought to host equipment used in support of US-made Patriot air-defence systems, according to a Bundeswehr spokeswoman. Military police called before handover to local policeThe spokeswoman for the Bundeswehr Joint Force Command said military police were deployed to the area before the case was transferred to local authorities. It was not immediately clear what the drones did during the incident or whether they were recovered. The report adds to a pattern seen in Europe, where drones have been spotted near military sites and airports supporting Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s war. In such cases, suspicion has often fallen on Russia, which has repeatedly denied involvement. Leipzig/Halle airport under investigationGermany is investigating how a drone carrying explosives reached a runway at Leipzig/Halle airport. The airport is used by Nato, the German military and as a base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines. When asked by the BBC on Sunday about the suspected origin of the drones reportedly seen at Mechernich, the Bundeswehr declined to comment on the investigation. Local police have been contacted for comment. German media reports said the Mechernich base has a storage facility for equipment and spare parts used to maintain Patriot missile batteries. Patriot systems targeted by demand from UkrainePatriot air-defence systems have become important for Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian ballistic missiles since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. This week, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies to provide further supplies, warning that Ukraine was running out of interceptor missiles. He renewed pressure as the conflict continues to strain air-defence stocks. Earlier this year, the US offered Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot systems in early July, but last week President Donald Trump denied that any such agreement had been reached. EU discusses wider drone security after sightingsGerman Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the Bild newspaper on Sunday that Germany had become a regular target of “destabilising” attacks. He said the country was not at war but was facing “hybrid warfare” on a daily basis. A series of drone sightings in European airspace last year led to heightened alert levels across the continent. The EU then began discussing a continent-wide “drone wall” to strengthen defences. Some European officials have blamed Russia for drone sightings, charges Moscow has described as “absurd”. Join the discussion? 10 August 2026
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